The present invention relates, in general, to pressure testing or hydrotesting of large vessels.
Many industrial processes utilize pressure vessels of ever increasing size. One example is the large vessel used in pressurized fluidized bed reactors.
Large pressure vessels are currently hydrotested using immense quantities of water for test purposes. The vessels are set on concrete and steel base rings that were carefully positioned over floor piles, to provide sufficient support for the weight of the large vessel and the water contained therein. FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of such a vessel 2 which may have a height of 100 feet and a diameter of 60 feet. To pressure test this vessel, it must be supported on a strong foundation 4. Because of the size and weight of the vessel as well as the water in the vessel during hydrotesting, such tests are very expensive and difficult to conduct.